Friday, September 29, 2006

{Succah 26a}In the name of Rabbi Shela they said: The bridegroom is exempt and the attendants and all the members of the wedding party are obligated.

They learnt {in a brayta}: Rabbi Chanina ben Akavia says: Scribes of Biblical books, tefillin, mezuzot -- they, the wholesellers of the items and the retail sellers of these items, and all who are involved in the work of heaven -- to include sellers of techelet -- are exempt from reading Shema, from prayer, and from tefillin, and from all commandments stated in the Torah. {He said so} to confirm the words of Rabbi Yossi haGelili, who says that one who is engaged in a commandment is exempt from the {other} commandment.

The Sages learnt {in a brayta}: Travellers on the road during the day are exempt from succah during the day and are obligated at night. Travellers on the road during the night are exempt from succah during the night and are obligated during the day. And those who travel for a mitzvah are exempt, whether during the day or during the night.

Just as this incident with Rav Chisda and Rabba bar Rav Huna who went during Chol HaMoed to the house of the Exilarch {to hear the lecture}, and they slept on the bank of a river in Sura. They said, "we are on a mission to fulfill a precept, and are thus exempt."

The Sages learnt {in a brayta}: The watchmen of the city in the day are exempt from succah during the day and are obligated at night. The watchmen of the city in the night are exempt from succah during the night and are obligated during the day. Those who watch gardens and vineyards are exempt from succah both during the day and the night.And let them make a succah there and sit in them?Abaye said: It states תשבו {"you shall dwell," meaning} just as you dwell {תדורו, and thus should be where dwellings are}.Rava said: The hole calls to the thief {and if the watchman is in one spot, the thief will enter where the watchman is not}.What is the {practical} difference between them? This is the difference: when all of the fruit would be visible from his position. According to Abaye he would be exempt and according to Rava he would be obligated.And the halacha is like Rava.

"Sick people and their attendants are exempt from succah":The Sages learnt {in a brayta}: The sick person of whom they spoke is not a sick person in danger {to life}, but rather even one who has a sore eye and even one who has a headache.Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said: One time I had a sore eye in Caesaria and Rabbi Yossi beRibbi permitted me and my attendants to sleep outside the succah.

Rav permitted Rav Acha bar Ada to sleep in a nuptial bed {canopy which has a status of succah in a succah and is thus invalid} in a succah because of mosquitoes.Rava permitted Rav Ada Bardela to sleep outside of the succah because it was freshly whitewashed.Rava is consistent with his opinion, for Rava maintains that one who is aggreived is exempt from succah.

But we learnt {in the Mishna} that sick people and their attendants are exempt. Sick people, yes; one who is aggreived, no!They said: A sick person, he and his attendants are exempt. One who is aggreived: he, yes; but his attendants are obligated.

"One may eat non-permanently outside of the succah":What is non-permanent eating?Abaye said: As much as a young scholar tasted before he attends the lecture.

The Sages learnt {in a brayta}: We may eat non-permanently outside the succah but we may not sleep temporarily outside the succah.What is the reason?Rava said: Because there is no permanence to sleep.

{Succah 26b}Rav Chisda said: It is forbidden to sleep during the day more that the sleep of the horse. And what is the sleep of the horse? 60 breaths.

Abaye dozed the length of time it takes to go from Pumpedita to Bei Kuvi. Rav Yosef called upon his the verse {Mishlei 6:9}:

ט עַד-מָתַי עָצֵל תִּשְׁכָּב; מָתַי, תָּקוּם מִשְּׁנָתֶךָ.

9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?